Bangladesh Railway (BR) is set to introduce a new express train on the Rajshahi-Panchagarh route today (Thursday) as part of its move to extend wider train operations in the country.
Railway Minister Mohammad Nurul Islam Sujon will inaugurate the train named 'Banglabandha Express' from Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam Station in Panchagarh district at 11:30 am.
With this, BR is set to run two new trains since January last. Earlier on January 25, the state-owned train operator launched train service between Dhaka and Jamalpur.
In 2019, it also launched four new trains -- Banalata Express on the Dhaka-Chapainawabganj route, Panchagarh Express on the Dhaka-Panchagarh route, Benapole Express on the Dhaka-Benapole route and Kurigram Express on the Dhaka-Kurigram route.
Though BR has so far managed trains with mostly age-old bogies and locomotives curtailing coaches from different routes, officials said, some new trains have also been launched with imported coaches and locomotives.
Banglabandha Express will have all old coaches, sources said.
BR officials said so far 478 new coaches and 10 locomotives arrived in the country and 22 more to arrive in the current month. BR expects more than 550 coaches and eight locomotives to arrive next year.
Among the new trains launched since 2019, two new trains were introduced connecting Panchagarh, the election area of the railway minister. He earlier announced plan to introduce 15 more new trains across the country by this year.
According to sources, all coaches of three trains running on the Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet routes will be changed.
According to senior public relations officer Mohammad Shariful Alam, Banglabandha train will run on Rajshahi-Panchagarhroute daily with weekly holiday in Rajshahi on Friday and in Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam Station on Saturday.
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